Which of the following correctly compares the sulfur isotopes [tex]^{32}S[/tex] and [tex]^{35}S[/tex]?

A. [tex]^{32}S[/tex] has 32 protons, whereas [tex]^{35}S[/tex] has 35 protons.
B. [tex]^{32}S[/tex] has 16 neutrons, whereas [tex]^{35}S[/tex] has 19 neutrons.
C. [tex]^{32}S[/tex] has 16 protons, whereas [tex]^{35}S[/tex] has 19 protons.
D. [tex]^{32}S[/tex] has 32 neutrons, whereas [tex]^{35}S[/tex] has 35 neutrons.



Answer :

To determine the correct comparison between the sulfur isotopes [tex]\( ^{32}S \)[/tex] and [tex]\( ^{35}S \)[/tex], let's first understand what isotopes are. Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

The atomic number of sulfur is 16, which means every sulfur atom has 16 protons. Let's analyze each isotope in detail:

1. Number of Protons in [tex]\( ^{32}S \)[/tex] and [tex]\( ^{35}S \)[/tex]:
- [tex]\( ^{32}S \)[/tex] has 16 protons.
- [tex]\( ^{35}S \)[/tex] also has 16 protons.

Therefore, options A and C are incorrect since they state that the numbers of protons are different.

2. Number of Neutrons in [tex]\( ^{32}S \)[/tex]:

The number of neutrons in an isotope can be calculated using the formula:
[tex]\[ \text{Number of Neutrons} = \text{Mass Number} - \text{Number of Protons} \][/tex]
For [tex]\( ^{32}S \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ \text{Number of Neutrons} = 32 - 16 = 16 \][/tex]

3. Number of Neutrons in [tex]\( ^{35}S \)[/tex]:

For [tex]\( ^{35}S \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ \text{Number of Neutrons} = 35 - 16 = 19 \][/tex]

Given these calculations:
- [tex]\( ^{32}S \)[/tex] has 16 neutrons.
- [tex]\( ^{35}S \)[/tex] has 19 neutrons.

Thus, the correct option is B:
B. [tex]\( ^{32}S \)[/tex] has 16 neutrons, whereas [tex]\( ^{35}S \)[/tex] has 19 neutrons.